Visions Journal

Out of Sight, Out of Mind

The unseen reality of hidden homelessness

PDF | EPUB | Vol. 20, No. 2 (2024)

When you hear “homeless,” you might immediately think of someone sleeping on the street, tenting in a park, or spending the night at a shelter. Hidden homeless refers to people living in temporary housing, such as staying with family or friends for short periods of time (also called “couch surfing”), staying in hotels, living in vehicles, or living in buildings not meant for habitation. While it may be hidden from view, hidden homelessness still has a profound impact on people, such as fears around finding the next place to stay amid a housing crisis, barriers that reduce access to health and social services, and the challenges of living in survival mode. In this issue of Visions, you’ll see that one impact across so many perspectives is stigma. Homelessness of any kind is often treated as a personal failure rather than the result of systemic failures. While some seek political gain by framing homelessness as a matter of crime and disorder, the most common reason for homelessness in BC is simply a lack of affordable housing. Housing is a basic human right, and that right is denied to a growing number of BC residents. Rather than keeping people hidden from sight, our communities are stronger when everyone is seen, heard, supported, and valued.